Mousasi Leaves M-1 Global

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Gegard Mousasi has left his management team with M-1 Global, the fighter told Sherdog.com via e-mail on Friday. M-1 Global also confirmed on Friday that the fighter and organization would no longer be working together.

“After careful consideration, I have decided that it is in my best interest to part ways with M-1 Global,” Mousasi wrote in the e-mail. “During the time I spent under their wing, M-1 Global, as a promoter and management company, allowed me to achieve many great things. I appreciate all they have done for me.”

M-1 Global, based out of Holland and Russia, had guided the Armenian-Dutch fighter’s career to two championship titles in the last few years.

The company also represents Fedor Emelianenko, the world’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight, who has publicly stated that he has an ownership stake in the organization, as well.

In addition to its own M-1 Challenge and M-1 Selection events, M-1 Global entered into a co-promotional agreement with Strikeforce in August. The two groups held their first joint event on Nov. 7 at the Sears Centre Arena outside of Chicago. Emelianenko and Mousasi both won bouts on the main card, which was broadcast live on CBS to four million viewers. Strikeforce and M-1 Global could hold their next joint event in April. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker had previously stated that Mousasi might defend his 205-pound title against former world-ranked wrestler Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in April.

Mousasi, who won the Strikeforce light heavyweight title in August, said he has a fight contract directly with the U.S.-based promotion and will continue to compete for it. Mousasi said he also still plans to enter the first round of Dream’s light heavyweight grand prix, rumored to begin this May in Japan.

The 24-year-old fighter said he has already obtained new representation but would not identify them.

“My management is being taken care of by someone close to me,” he wrote.

Mousasi recently returned to his native Holland following a two-week trip to the U.S. to train with UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. He said he would like to come back to the states to train with Strikeforce lightweight contender Josh Thomson and his American Kickboxing Academy team in San Jose, Calif., after he hit it off with Thomson in Miami, Fla., for Strikeforce’s Jan. 30 event at the BankAtlantic Center. A return date has not been scheduled yet.

does that mean he would be available to fight in the ufc....against anderson silva?????

He's disbanded from M-1, but I'm not certain this inherently translates to him not being a part of Strikeforce still. I believe he is still contracted under SF. However, being that M-1's demands of co-promotion was Dana's primary obstacle to obtaining Fedor, I'm thinking Dana is salivating and will get his hands on Gegard shortly (with M-1 out the way).

well anderson does need a fight in April <oh please, I know Mousasi wants 205lbs, but still>

I doubt it would happen that fast (assuming Dana makes Gegard an offer he can't refuse to join The Family), but yeah, that would be beyond sick (if/when) it happens. Plus, I'm fairly certain Gegard would still be contracted under SF during AS's next fight.

Here’s some more information on why Mousasi left M-1 Global, with MMA Junkie getting the scoop on the catalytic moment:

"Mousasi’s longtime manager, Apy Echteld, on Friday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the decision to leave was made when an M-1 executive elected not to sign a long-term management proposal that would have given the Dutch-Armenian fighter “lifetime security” – a deal similar to one held by Fedor Emelianenko.

Echteld, who spoke via telephone from Amsterdam, declined to name the executive who had rejected the offer. Echteld also said he was the only party holding a management agreement with Mousasi.

“Basically, what M-1 could provide for him was not what Gegard and me had in mind,” Echteld said.

A separate source with knowledge of the situation said Sergei Matvienko – son of the mayor of St. Petersburg, Russia, and a major M-1 backer – may have been the executive who turned away the proposed deal."

Fighters Only gives us some more tantalizing glimpses into the world of M-1’s shadowy financial backers:

"Matvienko is a major financial backer of M-1 but is rumoured to be unhappy with the actual and projected returns of the company’s US operations, including its deals with Strikeforce. Offering Mousasi a lifetime deal would have required more investment and the mood at present is apparently running against this."

Trouble in paradise, huh? Good to know! Fighters Only goes on to say that Mousasi’s current manager Apy is probably also on the endangered list as Mousasi is being wined and dined by several major American agents.

Last but not least, there’s some slight confusion right now as to exactly how many fights Gegard has left on his current contracts. MMA Weekly says he’s got 1 fight left with Strikeforce and Mousasi himself implied back in January that he’d be a free agent soon. But Loretta Hunt has Coker saying he’s got “OVER a year and half on contract left, plus options.” I wouldn’t have a problem with this if Strikeforce had over a year and a half’s worth of decent fighters for Mousasi to face, but since it sounds like they’re already about to feed the relatively green prospect King Mo to him, I have my doubts.

oh please. you guys honestly think that Dana "lowball" White is gonna offer gegard the same money he can make all around the world, freakshows, etc??? Dana will throw him a 10 and 10 contract which will be laughed at in english and armenian.

He'll easily get $50/$50 from the UFC plus bonuses. They can show some of his PRIDE footage and will get more exposure from SF. The wages have really grown over the past 5 years and Mousasi is a rare talent.

all im saying is that DW disregards any talent in any other organization. its obviously a business tactic to make yourself look better, but hes said many times how fedor and gegard are clowns. ahh i forgot im talking to the UFC fan club

all im saying is that DW disregards any talent in any other organization. its obviously a business tactic to make yourself look better, but hes said many times how fedor and gegard are clowns. ahh i forgot im talking to the UFC fan club

Not a Dana supporter by any means; I actually think his tactics are bull**** and will have major repercussions eventually. However, he's also not a complete idiot and I can see him getting a contract similar to that of Rog Nog.

he will come eventually....if fedor comes he will come and maybe viseversa. Dana might act like an idiot but hes not one. i msure he has people viewing all there histories and videos weekly about possible people to grow his company even more.